As the glaciers retreated some 12,000 years ago and left behind abundant lakes and rivers, Indigenous people moved into the area - first the Dakota, followed by the Ojibwe. These people have made Minnesota their homeland and have taken care of this vital resource for thousands of years. 

Oral history of the Dakota identifies the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers (Mendota) as the origin of the Dakota people themselves, and the center of the universe. Confluences, or junctions where two rivers meet, are important gathering sites for the Dakota. In addition to providing them with food and water, Minnesota’s freshwaters allowed the Dakota people to trade, travel, hunt, grow crops, and create tools.  Dakota people lived in harmony with the freshwater that was essential to their survival. 

The Ojibwe people moved into Minnesota because of a prophecy that told them to look for food that grows on water. This food, wild rice, then became a centerpiece of their diet and livelihoods. The Ojibwe ricers (individuals that harvest wild rice) sustainably harvested only enough rice for their needs, leaving enough for the plants to continue growing and for wildlife to feed on before their fall migration. Other foods like walleye, sugar maple, and native plants make up the traditional Ojibwe diet. All of these foods are dependent on water for survival! 

Today, the Dakota and the Ojibwe continue to be water protectors. The Dakota people stood up against the Dakota Access (oil) Pipeline to protect their river, while the Ojibwe are protecting their water from other oil pipeline development. Minnesota tribes run Native fisheries to help replenish the fish populations affected by their cultural fishing practices. Both tribes continue to honor their relationship with water through traditional designs and art.